Peru plan likely to boost aquaculture feed sector

A new government policy in Peru that aims to boost output and exports by the aquaculture sector is expected to offer new opportunities for local feed companies and exporters of feed ingredients, such as U.S. soybean products.

Mark Meyer/USDA NRCS
Mark Meyer/USDA NRCS

A new government policy in Peru that aims to boost output and exports by the aquaculture sector is expected to offer new opportunities for local feed companies and exporters of feed ingredients, such as U.S. soybean products.

With the aims to promote and regulate sustainable aquaculture in Peru, the General Law on Aquaculture was published in March, according to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). The Lima government has set a target to raise exports of aquaculture products by 20 percent over the next 5 years, while exerting controls to prevent over-development of the sector.

The new policy was reinforced by comments made by Héctor Soldi, deputy minister for fisheries and aquaculture in the Ministry of Production this week. Speaking at the close of the 2nd international symposium on fisheries and aquaculture for human consumption, he announced that an executive board has been set up to identify the measures that need to be taken for Peru to build on the progress made by its aquaculture sector over recent years. These include easing supply bottlenecks, overcoming health restrictions, widening the range of farmed species, and a focus on the quality of trout. 

Peru aquaculture statistics

FAS states that Peru achieved 85,000 metric tons of production from its aquaculture sector in 2015, with trout, shrimp, scallops and tilapia the most farmed species. About half of production is consumed locally, putting annual per capita intake at 15.4 kg.

According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Peruvian aquaculture amounted to 89,000 metric tons in 2011, showing an average annual growth rate of 27 percent between 2000 and 2011. Of the total, 40,000 metric tons was estimated to come from inland (freshwater) production, and 52,200 metric tons from marine sources. In 2011, the fisheries sector accounted for more than 8.2 million metric tons of catch.

Expectations of growth in Peruvian farmed fish and shellfish exports appear to be confirmed in the latest Agricultural Outlook for 2016-25 report by the FAO and the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). This publication puts the rate of increase in exports from Peru at 35 percent over the study period, just behind the world leader, Vietnam, with 38 percent.

A recent survey of aquaculture feed production states that trout production accounts for 74 percent of aquaculture feed production in Peru. Other species farmed include shrimp and tilapia.

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